Winchester teachers, parents urge board to oppose proposed SOL cut-score increases

Summary

Teachers, parents and students told the Winchester School Board that proposed increases to Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) cut scores would sharply reduce graduation rates and harm vulnerable student groups, and asked the board to publicly oppose the change and press state leaders for phased implementation and more supports.

WINCHESTER, Va. — Teachers, parents and students told the Winchester School Board on Tuesday they are deeply concerned about proposed increases to the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) cut scores, arguing the change would lower graduation rates and disproportionately affect students with disabilities and multilingual learners.

More than a half-dozen speakers during the meeting’s public-comment period urged the board to advocate in Richmond, seek full impact data and press the Virginia Department of Education for phased implementation and additional supports.

“Eliminating the ladder while telling them to keep climbing — the ones left behind will be our students,” Leslie Cornwell, co-chair of the English department at John Handley High School, told the board. Cornwell and co-presenter Clarissa Kennerly laid out school-by-school projections showing steep declines in pass rates for subgroups under the…

Winchester teachers, parents urge board to oppose proposed SOL cut-score increases

Summary

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